British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to convene an emergency meeting with police chiefs on Monday in response to escalating anti-immigration protests that have led to widespread violence. The protests, which have intensified in recent days, have resulted in the torching of buildings and vehicles, as well as attacks on hotels housing asylum seekers.
The unrest began after a tragic knife attack in Southport, in northwest England, claimed the lives of three girls. In the wake of the attack, anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups have spread misinformation online, falsely linking the suspected attacker to radical Islamist ideologies and claiming he was a recent arrival in Britain. However, police have confirmed that the suspect was born in Britain and are not treating the incident as terrorism.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper has criticized the rioters, stating that they have been “emboldened by this moment to stir up racial hatred.” The violence has seen bricks thrown at police officers, shops looted, and mosques and Asian-owned businesses targeted. Riots have erupted in multiple cities, including Liverpool, Bristol, Tamworth, Middlesbrough, and Belfast. In Rotherham, northern England, protesters even attempted to break into a hotel housing asylum seekers.
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Authorities have attributed the violence to online disinformation, which has been exacerbated by prominent figures. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, leader of the anti-Islam English Defence League, has been accused of spreading false information to his 875,000 followers on X. Yaxley-Lennon has publicly accused others of attempting to turn the nation against him, urging his supporters to rally in his defense.
Elon Musk, owner of X, has also weighed in on the situation, suggesting that civil war might be inevitable in response to the disorder linked to mass migration and open borders.
The effects of mass migration and open borders is what’s going on. https://t.co/wwItp7DSMP
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) August 4, 2024
Yvette Cooper emphasized that the government would be addressing the role of social media companies in amplifying these tensions. “Networks of different individuals and groups have been trying to fan the flames,” she said in an interview with Sky News, while avoiding questions about possible foreign interference. She condemned extremist and violent groups, asserting that “reasonable people” with concerns about immigration would not resort to violence.
